Triple Study: Fear, Secrets and Fist Fights
by Coseepo
Summary: Jeff meets one of Britta's exes. They don't get on well, and Jeff is threatened. Jeff whump, mainly gen, but references to Britta/Jeff, Britta/OC and Annie/Jeff. Rated for language and descriptions of physical violence.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello!**

**So, I recently got into Community, and as I watched it I came up with about five ideas for fanfic. About two days after I had had the idea, and planned it out in my head, without fail there would be a similar episode.  
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**But I'm posting them anyway so screw you  
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**Warning: I am a slow updater  
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**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

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Jeff glanced down at his watch. Honestly, it was unnatural to be at school this late. It was unfair; _he _was supposed to be the one who was supposed to make others do stuff for him, not Annie. The truth was he just found it hard to say no to her.

"Well hello, sweetheart. Did you miss me?"

Jeff stopped. He looked around. The voice had come from a little way off, and clearly wasn't directed at him. He smirked. A little drama would be perfect for the walk back to his car.

"Ramsey. What the hell are you doing here?" This voice was angry, annoyed, afraid even. A lot of 'a's. Defensive, too. Now Jeff frowned. This voice was also familiar to him.

"Britta?" he muttered, making his way in the direction of the voices.

"My visa ran out," said the first voice, Ramsey, coldly.

"And at my school? What are you, a freaking stalker?"

"I just wanted to see you. I missed you."

By now Jeff had located them, next to the Luis Guzmán statue. He hung back behind a dumpster, watching.

Britta he could see, holding her books across her chest, but Ramsey was hidden behind the statue.

"Okay," said Britta, leaning forward, "one, I _dumped_ you _years_ ago, and two, why did you need to bring your stupid -" she took her right arm away from her books and held it out in front of her, shaking it a little, "_cronies_?"

"Maybe they missed you too." The tone was low, venomous, and a man who must have been Ramsey stepped into view, causing Britta to take a step back, dropping her arm. Jeff made a face. The guy looked like a biker from a bad 80s movie.

"You're trying to tell me you never thought about me, even a little bit?" Jeff had to lean forward to catch Ramsey's words, but his next message was loud and clear as he grabbed Britta and forced his lips to hers. She slapped him and he quickly backed off, but not before Jeff was striding towards them.

"Hey!" Britta whirled around, and Ramsey's 'cronies' came into view. Weedier, smaller, yet equally moustachioed as their leader – yup, definitely a bad 80s movie.

"Jeff, what the hell are you _doing _here?"

"Give me some credit, that's exactly what you said to him," said Jeff, still glaring at Ramsey.

Britta gaped. "You've been eavesdropping this whole time?"

"Myeh." He shrugged. "What did you even see in this guy?"

"I was young. Shut up."

"Don't I know you from somewhere?" interrupted Ramsey, still clutching his cheek. _What a girl, _thought Jeff, before glancing at Britta to see if she could read minds. She didn't look anymore offended than she had five seconds ago. Nah, he was good.

"No, actually. I think I'd remember meeting someone as self-important an ass as you, and I've worked in courtrooms."

"Excuse me?" he said, dropping his arms and swaggering over.

Jeff raised an eyebrow. "Look," he drawled, putting his free his free hand in his pocket. "Britta doesn't w ant you here, and neither do I. So. _Maybe _you should back the Hell off." His tone hardened on the last four words.

Ramsey held his gaze for several more moments. Jeff could have sworn he could see steam coming from the man's nose.

At last, "…Alright then." He slowly walked away, followed by the two smaller men.

Jeff turned around to grin at Britta, only to be met by the flat of her hand.

"Ow, hey! What was that for?"

"I didn't _need_ your help, Jeff, you're just reinforcing the stereotype that women need to be saved by men," she said, waving her finger at him.

"Oh _come on, _you're my friend, I'm not gonna let you get ravaged by some meathead Mad Max. Why are all the guys you date such freaks anyway?"

"At least I date," she hissed.

Jeff put on his most wounded expression. "Hey, I date. And when did this become about me?"

"No, you don't date, you womanise. Because you see women as less than men, which is the same reason you marched in here with your illusions of rescuing a damsel in distress." She turned smartly on her heel and began to walk away.

"Oh, come on," he called after her, laughing. "_Britta!_" He hung his head, still smiling. He knew she was grateful, really. She just had a defence mechanism. After a few moments he looked up, but she was gone. He checked his watch. That little encounter had cost him nearly ten minutes of his precious time. Not that he had any plans tonight.

Jeff was quite literally wrenched from his thoughts as someone grabbed him by the lapels. He found himself breathing in stale onion rings and cigarette smoke, face-to-face with Ramsey. Geez, this guy really was a walking cliché.

"Where did you come from?"

"My mom," growled Ramsey. Jeff pulled back.

"Seriously, have you ever _heard _of a breath mint?"

Ramsey released him, with a little more force than necessary. Some might even call it 'pushing'.

"Can you go one sentence without italicizing anything?"

"Wow, 'italicizing'. That's a big word, if incorrect in this context. You're smarter than you look."

This earned Jeff a punch in the stomach, and he slumped into the seat around the statue, coughing. "Careful, college boy."

"You do realise what kind of place this is, don't you?" Ramsey and his back-up singers each gave him their own version of a confused look. He shook his head. "It doesn't matter. You're obviously classic thugs who don't know how to take a compliment, but I'm not a classic hero, so just tell me what you want and we'll wrap this up."

Ramsey smirked. "The way I see it, any guy who hangs out with a girl that much is either banging her, has banged her, or wants to bang her."

Jeff narrowed his eyebrows. "So…"

"So." Ramsey cracked his knuckles. Jeff resisted the temptation to roll his eyes. "Which one is it?"

"That's it? That's why you assaulted me?" The three of them looked at him expectantly. "None of them, she's not even the only girl in our group. Britta and I are just fri – _ow._"

Ramsey had punched him again. This time in the face. "Answer the question."

"What is it about this place that makes people hit me, geez." He received three threatening looks. "Okay, okay, we hook up occasionally, but it doesn't mean anything. We're _just. Friends."_

"Stop talking to her." Ramsey's voice was concentrated fury.

Jeff scoffed. "Or what? Look, I'm not _afraid _of you."

"Or you'll find out what my two buddies are for."

"Don't you think that's a little homoerotic?" He was on the floor in a heart beat, clutching the top of his leg wear the heavy leather boot had connected. Why couldn't he stop talking?

Ramsey appeared above him. "I hope you'll consider our proposal." With that, he and the two other men – Jeff still didn't know exactly who they were, and realised he didn't particularly want to – left, leaving him alone. It seemed to be becoming a bit of a theme.

He wasn't afraid of them, he knew that much. But he was pissed with Britta for going out with a guy like that and letting him get beat up. So pissed, that he wasn't going to talk to her tomorrow.

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**Well, this is a longer chapter than I'm used to posting, so lucky you. Review make me work faster :3**


	2. Chapter 2

**Yeah, so having written this chapter I can safely say there will only be one, maybe two more. I don't really go in for long fics.**

**So this chapter is more of the same, lots of italics, stereotypes, people being harsh on Britta etc. etc.  
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**Brownie points of you know which Doctor Who episode I'm referencing in the first section :P (answers in the next chapter)  
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"Dude, I'm just saying, he's been fighting those things for like a bajillion years. If he got the opportunity to save all his time and save some other people, he would take it."

The members of the group already in the study room could hear Troy's voice before he appeared in the doorway, closely followed by Abed, with whom he seemed to be arguing.

"Okay," replied Abed, going to his seat. "Firstly, you're logic is faulted. He wouldn't be able to change his own timeline, he would have just switched universes. Secondly -"

"Let's just ask Annie," interrupted Troy, also sitting down. They both turned towards her.

"Okay, so let's say the Inspector got the opportunity to go back in time to when the blorgons were created. I think he would wipe them out while it was doable, you know?"

Pierce smirked. "Doable." Everyone ignored him.

"Destroying the blorgons completely goes against the Inspector's character. We're told throughout the show that the blorgons have affected the furthest reaches of the cosmos. They're existence is highly significant, to the extent where it would be impossible to tell what the universe would be like without them. Other planets could have formed alliances against the blorgons, which would otherwise be warring. It'd be too much of a risk."

"Guys, I'm really sorry to interrupt, but can we actually study today? Doctor Kane said we might have a test, so we're going to have a test." Britta came to Annie's rescue.

"Well where's Jeff?" asked Shirley. "Is he sick?"

"He seemed fine last night when he was helping me with my American Studies diorama," frowned Annie. She lowered her voice. "You don't think he's skipping the test, do you?"

Britta rolled her eyes. "He's fine, he's just being childish cos we had a fight last night." Everyone glared at her. "…What?"

"Your and Jeff's relationship is messing with the dynamic of the group again."

"What? Abed -" She shook her head. "Just… c'mon guys, biology. Studying."

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Annie leaned across the Biology table. "Britta," she hissed, "it is one minute until the bell and if Jeff doesn't show up soon then we are going to have a _serious _conversation."

"Wha?" Britta turned to Troy next to her for support, but he was nodding in agreement at her, so she just frowned hugely and looked over her notes again. What if he really was sick? That wouldn't be _her _fault, right? Dammit, he'd better show up now.

The bell rang. Annie and Britta glanced at each other, then at the door. The door opened, and Dr Kane came in, followed by –

"Jeff!" cried Britta, relieved.

He didn't look at her. Not that she would've been able to tell if he did – he was wearing his aviators again. He took his place silently and stared at his lap while Dr Kane explained that they would indeed be having a test and proceeded to pass out the papers.

Jeff was aware that the entire group were watching him, and so before they had a chance to make awkward conversation, he sighed and took of his sunglasses. There was a collective gasp around the table. His left eye was heavily swollen with cut breaking through the side.

Troy leaned over to Britta. "What did you say you two were fighting about?"

"_Troy, _that wasn't _me._"

"Shut up, or you'll get a zero," called Dr Kane from the other side of the room.

_Thank God there's a test, _thought Jeff.

* * *

"Jeff? Jeff, wait up. _Jeff_." Britta grabbed his arm and he turned around, scowling.

"What." It was not a question.

She was practically panting. "Why'd you run out of class?"

"It was the end of the lesson?" This _was _a question. He seemed to have mixed up statements and questions when he got hit.

"Alright fine, what happened to your face?"

Jeff turned and began walking again. Britta followed him, persistently.

"Your boyfriend."

"_What?_" Britta stopped him again. "_Ramsey?_ Ramsey did this?"

"Yeah, thanks to you," he said, aggressively.

"What? Jeff I'm sorry this happened to you, but this is not my fault." She paused. She raised her voice. "Actually, I'd just like to make a public announcement that not everything is my fault."

"Whatever," muttered Jeff, and slunk away.

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"Jeff? Jeff, can I talk to you?"

"My _God,_" he said, turning around to face Annie. "I am _finally _going home after a hellish day of people stopping me every five seconds. I am within 15 feet of the parking lot. Can't it wait?"

"I… Y-you've been avoiding us all day. I just wanted to make sure you were alright."

Jeff sighed, and dropped his tense shoulders. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. Sorry." He gripped the back of his neck. "Just dealing with some stuff. Thanks."

"Alright. I'm here if you wanna talk about it."

He nodded. She smiled. He looked at her expectantly, but she didn't say anything more. "Aren't you going to ask about my eye? Everyone else has."

She shrugged. "I figured if you wanted us to know what would happen, you'd tell us."

Before she knew it his arms were wrapped around her. "Thank you, Annie." He released her, and smiled for the first time that day. "I'm sure it will have all blown over by tomorrow."

"I hope so," she said, smiling too. Jeff walked away.

Annie smiled, pleased with herself, and went away to find Abed and Troy.

* * *

Jeff sighed with relief as he reached his car. _Finally._

"Winger!"

_Or not. _He turned around to see Ramsey and his friends. "Oh, so you learned my name? That's cute. Now we can get each other matching personalised pencils."

"Shut up."

"I've been ignoring Britta all day, what's your problem?"

Ramsey smirked. "Yeah, but you sure do move on quickly."

"…Huh?"

"I saw you with that little slut just now. You tryna break Britta's heart, is that it?"

Jeff grit his teeth and tried to ignore that he called her a slut. "That's Annie. She's _20._ And we're just -"

Ramsey grabbed him just as he had the night before and rammed him against the side of his car, bending his back over the roof. "You seem to have a lot of 'just friends', don't you, Winger?"

_Yes,_ he thought, but said nothing. He let out a low, shaky breath. "Look, I don't… I-I don't wanna fight you." His eyes darted around, wondering why the hell no one had seen this.

"It's too late for that now." He let go.

Jeff briefly considered running, but discarded the idea when he realised _this was his freaking car. _He might as well prepare for a fight.

"Boys? You know what to do."

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**Reviews s'il vous plait  
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**I think that's how you spell it  
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**The next chapter will include descriptions of Jeff being beaten up, so bear that in mind  
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**See ya later  
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	3. Chapter 3

**Um. Hi.**

**So, as TheReichenbachDragonlord (great name) pointed out, it has been five months since I updated. Sorry.**

**The reason it took so long is because this was a _really _hard chapter to write. Which means *parts* of it are sort of rubbish, and only half a chapter in length. But... at least I updated, right? Apologies for some OOC-ness. **

**It will be a while until my next upload bc GCSEs bleugh**

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Despite himself, Jeff felt fear rise in his throat. He made an effort not to let it show. "Look, I'll be straight with you." Ramsey raised his hand, and Jeff automatically stepped back into his car, but he was just halting the smaller men.

"Do go on."

"Okay. I am an _asshole._" Ramsey raised an eyebrow. "There are a _lot _of good reasons to beat me up, but this is _not _one of them."

Ramsey smirked and began to lower his hand.

"Wait." He gestured around the parking lot. "It's the end of class, everyone's gonna be leaving, someone's gonna see."

Ramsey grew visibly impatient. "Well, if you really are an asshole, then I guess we'll have some help, won't we?"

Jeff held his gaze, mouth tight, searching for a retaliation. He couldn't find one. "Shit," he said, loudly and with confidence, still holding Ramsey's gaze, as if it were the retaliation. Ramsey lowered his hand.

The effect was instantaneous.

The smaller of the two men darted forward, stamping on Jeff's foot and twisting his arm in a surprisingly strong grip, forcing him to turn to face the other man, who punched him in the face, slamming his entire head down onto the roof of the car. He raised his hands to protect his best asset from any further harm, prompting Ramsey to punch him in the gut. He reeled forward, gasping, lashing out with one of his elbows. It connected with something, and there was a grunt of pain. Through his hands he caught a brief glimpse of Ramsey drawing back his fist in a distinctly bored fashion. It hit with an uppercut.

"Hey!"

His attackers stopped at the noise. Through a red haze, he saw Ramsey turn to face the source, consider for a moment, and motion to his friends that they should leave, beginning to walk away himself. The one holding Jeff threw him heavily against his car and followed. Jeff turned so that his back leant against the Prius and slid to the floor. He was vaguely aware of a figure, presumably the one who had shouted, running past him. He knew he recognised the voice, but he had a feeling he had a concussion. Man, he was really done with today.

"Winger. What exactly was that about, then? You alright?"

A face had appeared in front of him, and it took him a second to focus on it. Duncan. Duncan?

"I'd never really thought of you as the fighting type," muttered Jeff, wincing.

"Yes, well, lucky for you I am extremely drunk."

"Is my car okay?"

Duncan glanced up. "Uhmm... No. No it isn't."

"And the whole school saw that?"

"There was quite a crowd, yes, but they seem to have dispersed somewhat now."

"Ah, great..."

"Jeff?!" The shout drew their attention, and Jeff and Duncan turned to see practically power-walking over to them. "Oh my god, are you okay? What happened?"

He her straight in the eye, expression unreadable. "Ramsey happened."

Britta's eyes widened and she stepped back involuntarily. "Oh my god... Jeff, I'm so sorry."

Jeff screwed up his face with a fake smile. "Happens all the time." He forced himself upright, helped by Duncan, who was watching with distinct interest.

He turned to look at his wreck of a car, and grimaced. "This'll just buff out, right?" His voice was pained. He looked over to Britta, who could only offer a pained expression in reply.

Jeff's expression slowly dropped into a small frown of realisation, as the adrenaline left him and he began to feel the effects of the attack. He brought a hand up to his face, and winced. He looked at his hand. "Oh - for God's sake!" There was blood. He rounded on Britta again. "You do realise that _this _is how I make my way in life?" he said, pointing to his now-even-more-injured faced. He didn't wait for a reply, simply let out a small huff of exasperation and gently explored his face with both hands.

"Jeff… I -"

"How bad is it? Honestly?"

Britta screwed up her face. "It's… okay. It looks bad right now, but it's nothing you'll need to see the doctor about."

Jeff nodded. Sighed. All anger had dissipated from his expression. He just stood morosely scratching the back of his head.

"Jeff, _please _let me give you a lift."

It seemed to take a moment for him to register. He looked at her, frowning thoughtfully, then to his car, then back to her. He dropped his hand.

"Yeah. Yeah, okay."

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**I'm a bit conflicted about this chapter, so I'd love to hear your thoughts. **


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